"The 213 against Australia in Jamaica is definitely my best innings," he said. "You have to understand the climate at that time. Going into that match, landing in Jamaica and knowing that everything was on the line - your captaincy, the series, respect and adoration by your fans. The mental strength I mustered during that week was something that when I looked back, it was very hard to measure anything against that.

"The performance was something I cherish and the fact that we won the match to level the series, after we were bowled out for 51 the week before in Trinidad, felt great. I thought the way I handled it was special. It is something I will never ever forget ... it's a day's cricket I will be talking about for a very long time. The 153 in Barbados the following week was rated higher by Wisden and the cricketing gurus but the double century in Jamaica was my best effort."

The 213 against Australia in Jamaica is definitely my best innings," he said. "You have to understand the climate at that time. Going into that match, landing in Jamaica and knowing that everything was on the line - your captaincy, the series, respect and adoration by your fans. The mental strength I mustered during that week was something that when I looked back, it was very hard to measure anything against that.

"The performance was something I cherish and the fact that we won the match to level the series, after we were bowled out for 51 the week before in Trinidad, felt great. I thought the way I handled it was special. It is something I will never ever forget ... it's a day's cricket I will be talking about for a very long time. The 153 in Barbados the following week was rated higher by Wisden and the cricketing gurus but the double century in Jamaica was my best effort."

Yes, it's so hard to factor in the media and public pressure on players when trying to statistically measure great innings. The drama that surrounds a series, match and innings if you will. Not that I'm taking anything away from what's a great list, although I do think for that reason, Ponting's 156 is a tad too low.

'It is hard to recall a batsman quite so serene, so unrushed, so unflappable.' Chris Ryan on ... look to the left. Ahhhh.

There's a ton. Unless I rate every batsman in history there is no way of knowing how many great innings there are. I can be fairly sure of how many 15.00+ innings there are, though, and I'll leave it at that.

Where does Shastri's 107 in Barbados stand? It was scored against marshall, walsh, bishop and ambrose. Must be a good one.

Apparently India lost by 8 wickets though. I wonder whether this would down-grade Shastri's innings and take it out the 'Greatest' category? (Most of the innings in DoGs list seem to be made on behalf of the winning team)

There's a ton. Unless I rate every batsman in history there is no way of knowing how many great innings there are. I can be fairly sure of how many 15.00+ innings there are, though, and I'll leave it at that.

Yeah thought so. Wanted the to see the extended list because I felt a greatest innings list without Punter's 156 is kinda incomplete

Apart from that though, very few notable exceptions... your formula seems to have worked superbly

Wow. McCullum's two centuries in the last two weeks both enter the top 30 of alltime. The fascinating thing is that if New Zealand ended up winning the second test, McCullum's effort would be at no.4. The list has been revised somewhat in the last two months since I last published it.

That settles the Laxman vs mccullum debate I think. Thank god NZ didn't ein
I kid... Brilliant stuff from mccullum. To play two of the top 30 innings of all time is incredible. Honestly didn't expect the double to be so high